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Karen Gilchrist & Xavier Reynaud
IESE
MBA 2001
kgilchrist@frudiva.com;
xreynaud@frudiva.com |
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Company name:
Frudiva
S.L.
Company website:
www.frudiva.com
Founded:
2004
Current
Revenues: none
Number of
employees: 2
Age of
entrepreneurs:
30 years old
(Karen) & 33 years old (Xavier)
How did you fund
the company?:
We funded the
first round ourselves with friends and family and are still looking
for additional funds with Venture Capitalists. |
EC: Briefly
describe the product or service your company provides.
K&X:
We want Frudiva to
be the expert in tropical fruits for the European market. We import,
commercialize and distribute all kinds of tropical fruit derivatives
(always 100% natural): natural pulp, frozen fruit, dried fruit, oils and
fruit based colorants for industrial use…
EC: What is
your role in the company? How many people in your founding team
and what are their roles?
K&X:
Karen Gilchrist
manages the back office of the company (finances, operations,
distribution, relationships with providers, staffing…)
Xavier Reynaud
manages the front office of the company (sales & marketing)
EC: What is the company's current
stage of development?
K&X:
Frudiva has just
started operating (October 2004). The first container with Frudiva´s
products will arrive in Europe in January 2005.
EC: What do
you consider your greatest achievement?
EC: What do
you find the most satisfying about your life as an entrepreneur?
K&X:
It is very exiting
to lead and grow your own project. The motivation level is much higher
and makes the things change faster and in the direction you choose. You
become the owner of your own destiny and no company can give you that
level of satisfaction unless you own it!
EC: What is
the hardest part of daily life as an entrepreneur?
K&X:
The pressure to
feel that you are ultimately responsible in paying your own salary and
making the company a success.
EC: Would you
do it all over again?
K&X:
Sure.
EC: Do you
have any words of advice for students from the IESE MBA that are
considering starting their own businesses after graduation?
K&X:
-
Challenge your
business plan with “real life” cases. Do interviews with
potential clients, with distributors, providers…(check all the
Porter’s stuff you have learned).
-
Don’t be
afraid to have realistic business cases in your business models –
investors will respect you for your honesty and at the end of the
day they are also investing in you as a person (not only your
numbers)!
-
You are young
and well prepared. What is the worst thing that can happen if you
fail? You have plenty of time to recover, so if you believe in your
idea go for it.
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